Valve apparatus for filters



'(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J; T. MANNING. VALVE APPARATUS FOR. FILTERS.

No. 594,639. Patented Nov. 30,1897. 1

QNo Model.) 4 Sheets-Shet 2.

J. EMANNING. VALVE APPARATUS FOR FILTERS.

No. 594,639. Patent'di Nov. 30, 1897.-

I 1'93. if

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No Model.)

J, T. MANNING. VALVE APPARATUS'FOR FILTERS.

No. 594,639. Patented Nov. 36, 1897..

ju/entor JAW K da' VIIIIIIIII 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.) A

J. T. MANNING. VALVE APPARATUS FOR FILTERS. No. 594,639. Patented Nov.30, 1897.

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" NITED STATES PATENT Y Fries.

JOSEPH T. MANNING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE APPARATUS FOR FILTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,639, dated November30, 1897. Application filed October 21, 1896. Serial No. 609,466. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH T. MANNING, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Valve Apparatus for Filters; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

This invention relates more particularly to valve apparatus for filtersin which the filterbed is cleansed by reversing the current of water;but each of the improvements constituting the invention is intended tobe secured for all the uses to which it may be adapted.

In accordance with the first part of the present invention a valveapparatus placed below the filter is so arranged as that it may by asystem of connected valves or ports not only send the current throughthe filterin the filtering direction to a house-pipe or in the washingdirection to a waste-pipe, according to its position, but that it canalso be placed in a third position, in which it cuts off the currentfrom the filter and at the same time connects both the bottom of thefilter-chamber and the upright pipe leading to the top of the filterwith the waste-pipe, so that the water therein may drain off and leavethe filter-chamber and the said upright pipe empty. The emptying of thefilter-chamber or of said chamber and upright pipe would be useful inorder to make repairs and to prevent freezing and may be resorted to forother purposes.

In filters which are cleansed by reversal of currentthe portions ofwater which first pass in the filtering direction, after a reversal forwashing, are apt to be dirty, and it is desirable, therefore, to sendinto the waste-pipe not only the wash-Water, as before mentioned, butalso those portions of the water which have passed through the filter inthe filtering direction under such conditions that they are impure. Thiscan be effected by a suitable adaptation of the above-specified valveapparatus, and the so constructed apparatus constitutes a specialimprovement.

- In accordance with the second part of the invention a valve apparatusplaced below the filter and arranged when in proper position to drainthe Water from the filter-chamber right pipe is further adapted toestablish at the same time a direct (or, in other Words, a by-pass)connection between the supply and the house pipes for sending a currentto house Without passing through the filter and to establish in otherpositions connections through the filter between the supply-pipe and thehouse and waste pipes, respectively, for sending a current through thefilter in the filtering direction to house, in the filtering directionto waste, and in the washing direction to waste.

In accordance with the third part of the invention acurrent-reversing-valve apparatus is provided with means for letting alarger stream pass through the filter for washing than for filtering.For washing a large How is desirable for its great cleansing effect, andit is obviously possible to get any desired stream by a correspondingincrease in the size of the valve; but it is generally desirable to useas small a size of valve as practicable. By an arrangement ofdifferential openings a larger flow for washing can be obtained withoutincreasing the size of the valve to a corresponding extent, if at all.The differential openings can be constituted by ports of differentdiameters placedin the same circle, or Wash-water ports can be formed indifferent circles, so as that two or more washwater ports servetogether, and thus make together an effective opening of enlargedsection. The section of each wash-water port by itself may be the sameas the filtered-water port, or one or more of such duplicate washwaterports may be when taken singly of larger or of smaller diameter than thefilteredwater ports. This portion of the invention extends to acurrent-reversing-valve apparatus with enlarged wash-water supplywhether arranged or not to deliver the wash-water and the filtered waterto a waste-pipe and a housepipe, respectively, but it specially coverssuch apparatus with a waste-pipe for the washwater separate from thehouse-pipe. The apparatus may be with or without provision fordelivering portions of the filtered Water to 1 waste or for forming aby-pass or for draining the filter-chamber or filter-chamber and upright pipe, or for accomplishing two or more of these functions. Theintroduction of the with or without draining it also from the up- 1means for increasing the wash-water supply into such an apparatus neednot necessarily increase the size which an otherwise similar valveapparatus would have without said means.

In accordance with the fourth part of the invention a valve apparatusplaced below the filter and adapted to send the current through thefilter in the filtering direction to the house-pipe and in the washingdirection to the waste-pipe and to drain the filter-chamber and anadditional upright pipe when in a third position is also adapted to shutoff the current from passing to the house-pipe, while at the same timeit is shut off from passing through the filter. This dead position mayor may not be one in which the valve apparatus cuts off the supply-pipealtogether from the filter. It also may or may not be one in which itcuts off the supply from the filter while establishing a waste-pipeconnection whereby the filter-chamber or the filter-chamher and itsupright pipe can be emptied. It is not considered essential to theusefulness or the novelty of this part of the invention that thereshould be a by-pass valve in the apparatus, (although there may be,) northat there should be a drainage of the filter-chamber and upright pipein any position other than that in which the supply is cut off from thehouse-pipe and the filter, nor that there should be the said drainage inthis position if this is provided for in another position, nor thatthere should be provision for changing delivery of filtered water fromhouse-pipe to waste-pipe or the reverse; but these features may be used(one or more of them when desired) advantageously, and the combinationswherein one or more of them are employed in addition to the saidcurrent-reversing, filter and pipe draining,and cut-off valvesconstitute special improvements.

The invention also consists in such other new parts, improvements, andcombinations as may be hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front elevation of two connected filters, each with itsown valve apparatus. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections of said valveapparatus and a part of the said filters, the sections corresponding,respectively, with lines it and 4362' on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a verticallongitudinal section of the valve apparatus at the left of Figs. 1, 2,and 3. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 4), Figs. 2 and 3, of thesame valve apparatus. Fig. 6 is a section corresponding with Fig. 3,showing a somewhat different arrangement of the rear ports. Figs. 7 and8 are vertical longitudinal sections of somewhat different forms ofvalve apparatus Figs. 9 and 10 are plan views of the valve apparatus ofFigs. 7 and 8, respectively. Figs. 11 and 12 are vertical cross-sectionson lines 0071 and an of the valve apparatus of Figs. 7 and 9. Figs. 13and 14 are respectively a plan and a vertical longitudinal section ofanother form of valve apparatus. Figs. 15 and 16 are crossthrough thekey-port 13.

sections of this last form of valve on lines xv and ml, respectively.Figs. 17 and 18, 19 and 20, and 21 and 22 are cross'sections similar tothose of Figs. 2 and 3 of still other forms of valve apparatus; and Fig.23 is a crosssection similar to Fig. 18, showing another arrangement ofrear ports.

The connection of filters, as shown, and all the valve apparatus shownare in accordance with the invention or with parts thereof.

A and B are the filter-chambers, which each contain a filter-bed adaptedto filter a downward current of water and to be cleansed by an upwardcurrent and are each provided with a valve apparatus. The water entersthe respective valve apparatus by the supplypipe 0 or D and is directedto the top or bottom of the filter or otherwise according to theposition of said valve apparatus. It escapes by the house-pipe E or F orby the waste-pipe G or H. The upright pipe J or K is inter posed betweenthe top of the corresponding filter-chamber and the valve apparatuswhich is placed below the filter-chamber, so that this may be emptiedthrough the valve. The passages L M and N P connect with the bottom ofthe filter-chamber.

Referring first to the valve apparatus shown at the left of Figs. 1, 2,and 3, the key Q turns in the casing R, which is provided with an endport, Figs. 4 and 5, and two circles of stationary ports, the frontcircle being shown in Fig. 2 and the rear circle in Fig. The supply-pipeD terminates (see Fig. in a stationary port in each-circle. The uprightpipe opens in the rear end of the casing. The passages N P, which openinto the bottom of the filter-chamber, (see Fig. 4,) terminate in astationary port in each circle. The housepipe F terminates in astationary port in the front circle, and the wastepipe H terminates in aport in each circle. (See Fig. 4.) In the key Q, as shown, there are inthe front circle in the wall of the central chamber a quadruple port andtwo single ports 11 and 12, and in the rear circle in the wall of thecentral chamber there are a triple port 13 and a single port 14. The twocentral chambers are cut off from each other, as shown in Fig. 4:. Atthe rear of the key there is a side passage which is cut off from therear chamber and which terminates in the single ports and 16. On turningthe key to the right from the position shown, so that the front key-port11 registers with the end of house-pipe F, the water from the pipe Dwill pass through the rear key-port 13 and upright pipe K to the top ofthe filter-chamber B,will descend through the filter-bed, and will passby the passage N and the key-ports 10 and 11 into the house-pipe F. Toreverse the circuit for washing, the key Q is turned farther to theright, so as to put the supplypipe D into communication with the passageN through the key-port 10 and the upright pipe K into communication withthe waste-pipe II At the same time ITO into the house-pipe will beresumed.

the supply-pipe is also put into communication with the bottom of thefilter through the key-ports 15 and 16 and the passage P. Thus the waterfrom the pipe D passes into the bottom of the filter-chamber, ascendsthrough the filter-bed, descends through the upright pipe K, and passesto waste by the rear keyport 13 and pipe II. If the passage P and thekey-ports 15 and 16 were closed, the washwater would still enter thefilter-chamber by the passage N, and when the passage P and thekey-ports 15 and 16 are used the washwater would enter by them, althoughthere might be no communication through the key between the supply-pipeD and the passage N. If, then, it is simply desired by a system ofconnected valves or ports to send the current through the filter B inthe filtering direction to the house-pipe F, or in the washing directionto the waste-pipe H, the key Q and the casing R might be provided with asimpler arrangement of ports than is represented. In order to drain thefilter-chamber, the key Q is turned still farther to the right, so thatthe rear key-port 14 is brought opposite the end of the passage P, theport 13 continuing to register with the end of the waste-pipe H. In thisposition the supplypipe D is cut off from the passages N P and from theupright pipe K, and no water can enter the filter-chamber,but what wasalready therein can run to waste through the passage P and ports l-t and13. With the arrangement shown the water can also drain off from theupright pipe K through the key-port 13, thus leaving both empty.Further, the front key-port 12 registers with the end of the house-pipeF in this filter-draining position, and thereby a bypass is establishedfrom the supply-pipe D through the key-ports 10 and 12 to thehouse-pipe, while the passage N and front end of the waste-pipe H arestopped. By restoring the key Q, so that the key-port 11 registers withthe end of the house-pipe F, the delivering of filtered water The key Qcould be so restored immediately after the filter-bed has been washed bythe reversed current, but in that case the first portions of water whichwould be delivered into the house-pipe would be apt to be dirty. Toavoid sending such portions into the housepipe, the front part of key Qis provided with the port 12, which is so arranged that it registerswith the front end of the waste-pipe H at a time when the port 10 opensthe passage N, but not the supply-pipe D. In this position thesupply-pipe D is in communication with the upright pipe K through theport 13, but the front end of the supply-pipe D,thc rear end of thewaste-pipe H, the house-pipe F, and the filter-passage P are stopped.

The side passage in the rear portion of the key Q between the ports 15and 16 is provided in addition to the opening through the port 10 forthe purpose of letting a large stream of wash-water into the filter. As

shown, the openings in the casing and in the key for the escape of thefiltered water are of the same dimensions as are the openings by whichthe wash-water enters the filter through the passage N, and the sidepassage forms another way of like dimensions through which and thepassage P the wash-water may enter the filter. Taken together,therefore, the two wash-water ways are double the filtered-water way,and as the key-ports 15 and 16 of the side passage are in the samecircle as a portion of the current reversing ports no larger key isrequired by reason of the washwater way. Of course either or both thewashwater-inlet passages could be smaller than the filtered-water-outletpassages and still constitute the larger effective way when takentogether. The filtered-water way may, however, be smaller than thewash-water way at the same end of the valve apparatus. Such a differenceis shown in the arrangement of Fig. 17. In this the general arrangementis the same as in Fig. 2, and the ports are similarly lettered andnumbered, but the single ports 11 and 12 and the terminal openings ofthe house-pipe F and of the front branch of the waste-pipe H are of lessangular measurement than the terminal openings of the passage N and thefront branch of the supplypipe D, and are also less than thecorresponding portions of the port 10. Thus even if the side passagewith its ports 15 and 16 at the rear of the key Q were suppressed thewashwater way would be'larger than the filteredwater way. By diminishingthe angular measurement of the filtered-water ports the other ports inthe same circle can be made larger angularly than they could be with allthe ports of the same dimensions.

As shown at the left of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 and in Figs. 4 and 5, as alsoin Figs. 17 and 18, the ports in casing R and key Q are so arranged thatthe current-reversing and filter-draining valve apparatus can shut offthe current, and thus prevent it from flowing either to house or throughthe filter. lhis dead position is the one which the keys Q occupy in thedrawings. The supply-pipe is shown as opening into the filter throughthe port 13 and the upright pipe K. The valve apparatus :of thesefiguresnamely, Figs. 1 to 5 and 17 and 18-wil1 also cut off the waterfrom both the filter and the house and at the same time establish afilter-draining connection. To effect this, turn the key Q to the leftof the position of the figures untilthe port 10 is opposite the end ofthe house-pipe F and all the other ways in the front part of the casingare at the same time closed by the key, while at the same time the rearkeyports 14: and 13 register, respectively, with the ends of the passageP and waste-pipe H. Both ends of the supply-pipe D are thus stopped, asalso the end of the passage N; but the passage P is open to thewaste-pipe H through the ports 14 and 13, and the upright pipe K is alsoopen to the waste-pipe H through the port 13. Thus the valve apparatuswill be dead, with the filter-chamber B and its upright pipe K emptied.By turning the key Q. still farther to the left the housepipe F may beconnected, through the port 10, with the waste-pipe I-I, while thesupply-pipe is cut off both from the house-pipe and the filter. Thus thehouse-pipe above the valve may be drained, and the house-pipe F, thefilter-chamber B, and the upright pipe K may be empty, with thesupply-pipe closed. This would be useful to prevent freezing and might,of course, be resorted to for other purposes, (as repairing, forexample.) By turning the key Q, farther to the left the supplypipe canbe opened to allow water to run to waste to prevent freezing.

Instead of having the supply-pipe D in communication with the uprightpipe K through the port 13 when the key Q is in the position which itoccupies in Figs. 1 to 5 and 17 and 18 the port 13 could be smaller, sothat the shell of the key would close the rear end of the supply-pipe,as shown in Figs. 0 and 23. In this case the rear end of the waste-pipeis brought nearer to the rear end of the supplypipe, so that when thekey is turned to the right sufficiently to make the port 10 registerwith the front end of the supply-pipe D and the port 15 with the rearend of said supplypipe the port 13 will. register with the rear end ofthe waste-pipe. In these figuresnamely, Figs. 6 and 23-the port 14 isenlarged, so, as in the position represented, it registers with the rearend of the waste-pipe, and recesses 17 are formed in the casing, so thatwater may drain from the filter-chamber when the port 16 partly overlapssaid recesses. The arrangement of rear ports in Fig. (3 is for a valveapparatus having the arran gement of even-sized front ports and ways ofthe left-hand valve apparatus of Fig. 2, and the arrangement of rearports in Fig. 23 is for a valve apparatus having the differential frontports and ways, Fig. 17.

In the valve apparatus as thus far described the ways in the casing arenot symmetrically disposed, the terminal openings of the house-pipe F atthe left of Figs. 2 and 3 and those of the house-pipe F and thewastepipe II in Figs. 6, 17, 18, and 21 being arranged at oblique anglesfrom the ends of the passages N P and the supply-pipe D. In Figs. 2 and3 the ends of the waste pipe H are ninety degrees distant from the endsof the supply-pipe D. A symmetrical arrangement with differential fron1: ports and ways is shown in Figs. 19 and 20. Except for a variation inthe sizes of the key-ports and of the terminal openings of the ways inthe casing the same arrangement could be used, with the terminalopenings of the easing-ways and the key-ports all of the same size, andso generally any arrangement shown for differential ports and ways couldbe used for those of even size, and conversely.

In Figs. 19 and 20 a double port 10* andasingle port 10 are used inplace of the quadruple port 10 of the preceding figures, and theintermediate portion of the shell is of sufficient width to stop the endof the house-pipe F when the key Q is in the position represented. Inthis position the house-pipe and both ends of the supply-pipe areclosed, but the bottom of the filter is in communication with thewaste-pipe H through the rear ports 13 and 14. On turning the key Q tothe right this wastepipe connection is interrupted, and the water fromthe supply-pipe D enters bythe port 13, passes by the upright pipe tothe top of the filter, descends through the latter in the filteringdirection, and escapes into the housepipe through the front ports 10"and 10. On a further movement to the right the water continues to enterby the rear port 13 and fiows through the filter in the filteringdirection, but it passes to waste through the front port 12, which hasby the movement been brought opposite the front end of the wastepipe H.A third movement to the right brings the solid shell of the key Q,opposite all the ends of all the casing'ways except the rear end of thesupply-pipe, which remains open to the top end of the filter. The flowis therefore in this position cut off both from flowing to thehouse-pipe or through the filter. A further movement to the right putsthe valve apparatus in the washing position, in which water from thesupply-pipe D enters the bottom of the filter through the front ports10* and 10 and also through rear ports 15 and 16, while the wash-waterescapes through the port 13, which in the washing position registerswith the rear end of the waste-pipe II. A fifth movement to the rightestablishes a by-pass across the front end of the key Q through theports 10* and 12, while the filterchamber and its upright pipe areemptied through the rear end of said key. A sixth movement to the rightwould establish the filter-draining and dead position as in the figures,only with the ports diametrically opposite the places shown.

By turning the key Q to the left from the position represented in Figs.19 and 20 a bypass (through front ports 12 and 10*) and afilter-draining connection (through ports 13 and 14) would be formed,and a still further movement to the left would allow the water in thehouse-pipe F above the valve apparatus to run to waste through the ports10* and 10, with both ends of the supply-pipe stopped. Anothersymmetrical arrangement is shown in Figs. 21 and 22, all the ports beingshown of even size. In the front of the key 0., there is a triple port10 and a single port 12, while at the rear in addition to the ports 1314- 15 16 and recess 17 there are two single ports 18 and 19. In theposition represented the valve apparatus is dead, with a drainingconnection for the filter-chamber and its upright pipe. In thisarrangement the filtering to house is effected by a turn to the left,the water entering by the rear port 18 and escaping by the front port10. A second movement to the left establishes a bypass through the frontports 12 and 10, while establishing a filter and upright-pipe drainingconnection through the rear ports 13 and 14. By moving the key to theright from its dead position represented the water entering by the rearport 13 can pass through the filter in the filtering direction andescape to waste by the front ports and 12. A second movement to theright establishes the washing position, in which the wash-water entersthe bottom of the filter by boththe front and rear portions of the key Qand escapes by the rear port 18. A third movement to the right leavesthe apparatus dead. The results of other movements can be easilyperceived.

Referring to Fig. 21, if the port 12 were enlarged at the left, so as touncover the end of the waste-pipe without shifting the key Q, it

will be seen that the filter-chamber would drain through the front partof the casing. In this case the recess 17 and the enlargement of theport 15, as shown in Fig. 22,would be superfluous, and the thirdmovement to the right would establish a bypass.

In the valve apparatus shown at the right of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the solidportion of the shell between the front ports 10* and 10 is too narrow tostop the Ways in the casing, but is a mere brace and might be omitted.In the position represented in these figures the waste-water from thesupply-pipe G enters by the rear port 13, passes through the filter inthe filtering direction, escapes by the ports 10* and 10' to thehouse-pipe E. By moving the key to the right the filtered water is sentto waste through the port 12. By a further movement to the right thewashing position is reached, in which the wash-water enters thefilter-chamber A by the front ports 10* and 10 and the rear ports 15 and16 and escapes by the rear port 13, which in this position registerswith the end of the waste-pipe G. A third movement to the rightestablishes a by-pass through the front of the key between the ports 10*and 12, the filter-chamber A and its upright pipe J being at the sametime provided with a drainage connection through the ports 14 and 13. Byturning the key Q to the left from the filter-to-house positionrepresented a by-pass and filter and upright-pipe draining connection isestablished. The key could of course be placed in other positions withresults easily to be seen.

With the two valve apparatus of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 in the position shownwater would stand in both filters but would not fiow to the house,because it is stopped by the lefthand apparatus. By turningthe key Q ofthis apparatus to the left the delivery of doubly-filtered water iscommenced. The water from the pipe 0 enters the port 13, (right of Fig.3,) ascends the pipe J, descends through the filter-bed in chamber A,leaves said chamber by passage L, Fig. 2, and escapes by the and goes tohouse by the pipe F.

ports 10* and 10 into the house pipe E, which is in series with thesupply-pipeD. Flowing through said supply-pipe D and the upright pipe Kthis water which has just been filtered in the chamber A descendsthrough the filterbed in chamber B, whereby it is filtered anew If it isdesired to cutout either of the filters, the valve apparatus thereof canbe turned to by-pass, whereupon the water filtered by the other will goto the house through the pipe F. To wash either filter, the valveapparatus thereof is manipulated. The filter B can be washed with waterwhich has been filtered in the chamber A or with unfiltered waterdelivered through the by-pass of the right-hand valve.

The casings of the valves thus far described are shown as cast integralwith the bottom plate S of the filter chamber. This plate rests at itsedges upon a hollow base T, which incloses the valve apparatus, leavingthe key Q accessible by an opening. Indexes V on the stems of the keystravel over dials W W on the bases to indicate the positions of thekeys. The base T and plate S couldbe cast together, but it is consideredeasier to make them separate. The manufacture in one piece with thebottom plate of the valve-casing with its passages N P and the otherways is considered advantageous for small filters. For larger apparatusit is considered better to make the casings so that they can be securedwith appropriate fittings. Figs. 7 and 9 show the passages N and Pextended separately to the top of the casing, while in Figs.

-8 and 10 they come together inside the casing R. In all four figuresthe front and rear branches of the su pplypipe are kept separate to theoutside of the casing and can receive separate pipes, if desired, butthey could be brought together before leaving the casing, as in Figs. 5and 13. In the cross-sections, Figs. 11 and 12, of the apparatus ofFigs. 7 and 9 the arrangements of ways in the casing and ports in thekeys are as represented in the right-hand apparatus of Figs. 2 and 3,but any other of the arrangements shown could be used in the separatecasings of Figs. 7 and 9 or of Figs. 8 and 10. In Figs. 13, 14, 15, and16 the extra Wash-water ports 15 and 16 of the preceding figures areomitted, all the wash-water entering by the passage N. The'filter-draining passage P* and port 14 are contracted in size, for theirfunction is simply to drain off the standing water and there would be noparticular purpose in making them of the same size as the other ports,although they could be so made. The ports 15 and 16 could be closed inthe other forms of valve apparatus if they are not desired to furnish anenlarged supply of wash-water.

In all the apparatus shown the valves for the various purposes describedare found in a single key. This is the best arrangement, but it isevident that any form of key shown could have the front circle of portsin one key ICO and the rear circle in another key,which could beconnected with the former key, so as to be operated simultaneouslytherewith. Moreover, the valves formed in the drawings by the samecircle of ports could be constituted by connected keys instead of asingle key. The consolidation of the valves in a smaller number ofmany-way valves is advantageous, as is also the union of the many-wayvalves in a single key. As shown in all the figures, a key Q and itscasing R constitute two fourway valves. The front four-way valve has itsports and the terminal openings of its ways so arranged that one ofsaidways can be separately put into communication with each of the otherthree and that two (at least) of these can be connected with each other.The rear four-way valve has its ports and the ends of its ways soarranged that two of said ways can be connected with each other in twopositions of the key and the other two in a third position. In thisthird position, moreover, one of the first two ways is connected withthe latter two. Further, in all the apparatus illustrated except that ofFigs. 13, 14,15, and 16 the rear four-way valve has a side passage withits own ports in addition to the ports mentioned just above. hen thisside passage is used, it is not so important to have a separatecommunication between a way in the front four-way valve and more thantwo of the other three, since the rear side passage may be utilized forthe like purpose as one of these connections.

In the front end of the apparatus of the left of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 thereis a port 10, which could be divided into a numberof single ports, thatextends through the are covered by three movements of the key and issuificient to connect two adjacent ways in the casing, and also inconjunction therewith there are ports 11 and 12 opposite said port 10,and, further, one of the front ways-to wit, the housepipe Fis arrangedto be stopped by the solid portion of the key outside of and nextadjacent to said port 10. This has a certain advantage over stoppingsaid house-pipe on other parts of the key, since then the changes of thevalve may proceed consecutively from a dead position through thefiltering-to-house, washing, and other positions. The apparatus of Figs.17 and 18 is of the like character. This feature would not beaffected bythe substitution of the rear arrangements of Figs. 6 and 23 for those ofthe left of Figs. 3 and 18, respectively.

Reference has been made above to the use of differential key-ports andterminal openings in the casing and to the unsymmetrical disposition ofsaid terminal openings. Each of these arrangements has a special valuein securing a maximum size of the wash-water openings generally with agiven style and size of key.

I claim as my invention or discovery- 1. In combination with a filter, acurrentreversing and drainage valve apparatus therefor placed below thefilter-chamber and connected with the top and bottom thereof, saidapparatus having house, waste, supply and filter ways and a system ofconnected valves or ports whereby in one position of said apparatus thecurrent flows in the filtering direction through the filter to thehousepipe, and in another position in a reverse direction to thewaste-pipe, and in a third position the filter is cut off from thesupply and house pipes and a communication opened to the waste-pipe fromthe bottom of the filterchamber and from the upright pipe which leads tothe top of said chamber, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing and drainage valveapparatus therefor placed below the filter-chamber and connected withthe top and bottom thereof, said apparatus having house, waste, supplyand filter ways and a system of connected valves or ports whereby in oneposition of said apparatus the current flows in the filtering directionthrough the filter to the housepipe, in another position in the samedirection to the waste-pipe, in a third position in the reversedirection to the waste-pipe, and in a fourth position the filter is cutoff from the supply and house pipes and a communication opened to thewaste-pipe from the bottom of the filter-chamber and from the uprightpipe which leads to the top of said chamber, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a filter, a by-pass and drainage valve apparatusplaced below the filter-chamber and connected with the top and bottomthereof, said apparatus having house, waste, supply and filter ways anda system of connected valves or ports whereby the supply can be cut offfrom the filter and be connected with the house-pipe while at the sametime the house connection with the filter is stopped and the bottom ofthe filter-chamber and the upright pipe leading to the top of saidchamber are put in communication with the waste-pipe, substantially asdescribed.

4. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing by-pass andfilter-draining valve apparatus placed below the filter-chamber andconnected with the bottom thereof, said apparatus having house, waste,supply and filter ways and a system of connected valves or ports wherebythe supply can be cut off from the filter and connected with thehousepipe while at the same time the bottom of the filter-chamber is putin communication with a waste-pipe and the current can in otherpositions of said valve apparatus be sent through the filter-chamber inthe filtering direction to the house-pipe, in the filtering direction tothe waste-pipe, and in the washing direction to a waste-pipe,substantially as described.

5. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing by-pass and drainagevalve apparatus placed below the filter-chamber and connected with thetop and bottom thereof,

said apparatus having house, waste, supply and filter ways and a systemof connected valves or ports whereby the supply can be cut off from thefilter and connected with the house-pipe while at the sametime thebottom of the filter-chamber and the upright pipe leading from the topof said chamber are put in communication with the waste-pipe and thecurrent can in other positions of said valve apparatus be sent throughthe filterchamber in the filtering direction to the housepipe, and inthe washing direction to the waste-pipe, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a filter, a current.- reversing by-pass anddrainage valve apparatus placed below the filter-chamber and connectedwith the top and bottom thereof, said apparatus having house, waste,supply and filter ways and a system of connected valves or ports wherebythe supply can be cut off from the filter and connected with thehouse-pipe while at the same time the bottom of the filter-chamber andthe upright pipe leading from the top of said chamber are put incommunication with the waste-pipe and the current can in other positionsof said valve apparatus be sent through the filterchamberin thefiltering direction to the housepipe, in the filtering direction to thewastepipe, and in the washing direction to the waste-pipe, substantiallyas described.

7. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing valve apparatusprovided with means for letting a substantially larger stream passthrough the filter in washing than in filtering, substantially asdescribed.

8. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing valve apparatusprovided with openings at the ends of wash-water ways of substantiallylarger section than the ends of the filtered-water ways and withwash-water key-ports and filtered-Water key-ports to correspond, so thata larger stream may pass through the filter in washing than infiltering, substantially as described.

9. In combination with a filter, a currentre versing-valve apparatusprovided with double wash-wateninlet ways and ports approXi mating eachother in size and a single set of ways and ports for the water infiltering, substantially as described.

10. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing-valve apparatus,having two circles of ports and a wash-water-inlet port in each circle,substantially as described.

11. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing-valve apparatusprovided with a system of connected valves or ports whereby the currentcan be sent through the filter in the filtering direction to ahouse-pipe and in the washing direction to a waste-pipe and composed ofsubstantially larger openings for the flow of the water in said Washingdirection, substantially as described.

12. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing-valve apparatus,composed of supply, house, filter and waste Ways terminating in twocircles with key-ports to correspond, arranged to send the currentthrough the filter in the filtering direction to the house-pipe and inthe washing direction to the wastepipe and having wash-water-inletopenings in both said circles,-substantially as described.

13. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing drainage andcut-off valve apparatus placed below the filter-chamber and connectedwith the top and bottom thereof, said apparatus having house, waste,supply and filter ways and a system of connected valves or ports wherebythe current can be sent through the filter in the filtering direction tothe house-pipe, and in the washing direction to the waste-pipe, and canbe cut oit from the filter -chamber and its upright pipe while these areconnected to waste, and can be out off from the house-pipe while at thesame time it is cut off from passing through the filter, substantiallyas described.

14. Avalve apparatus composed of two fourway valves having their keyportions connected for joint operation, one four-way valve beingarranged for putting one of its four ways separately in communicationwith each of the other three and for connecting two of these three witheach other, and the other four-way valve being arranged for connectingtwo of its ways with each other in two positions of the valve and forconnecting the other two with each other in a third position,substantially as described.

15. A valve apparatus composed of two fourway valves having their keyportions connected for joint operation, one four-way valve beingarranged forputting one of its four Ways separately in communicationwith each of the other three and for connecting two of these three witheach other, and the other four-way valve being arranged for connectingtwo of its ways with each other in two positions of the valve and forconnecting one of said two and the remaining two ways with one anotherwhen in a third position, substantially as described.

16. A valve apparatus composed of two fourway valves having their keyportions connected for joint operation, one four-way valve beingarranged for putting one .of its four ways separately in communicationwith two of the other three and for connecting two of these three witheach other, and the other four-way valve being arranged for connectingtwo of its ways with each other in two positions of the valve and forconnecting'the other two with each other in a third position and beingprovided with a side passage and ports in addition, substantially asdescribed.

17. In combination with a filter, avalve apparatus placed below thefilter-chamber and composed of two four-way valves connected for jointoperation and arranged to constitute filter-draining,by-pass andcurrent-reversin g valves, substantially as described.

18. In combination with a filter, a valve apparatus placed below thefilter-chamber and composed of two four-way valves connected for jointoperation and arranged to constitute filter-draining, cut-oft, by-passand currentreversing valves, substantially as described.

19. In combination with a filter, a valve apparatus placed below thefilter-chamber and composed of two four-way valves connected for jointoperation and arranged to constitute filter-draiuiug, cut-off andcurrent-reversing valves, substantially as described.

20. In combination with a filter, a valve apparatus placed below thefilter-chamber and composed of two four-way valves connected for jointoperation and arranged to constitute current-reversing valves withwash-water-inlct openings in each of said four-way valves, substantiallyas described.

21. In combination with a filter, a valve apparatus placed below thefilter-chamber and composed of two four-way valves connected for jointoperation and arranged to constitute filter-draining, by-pass andcurrent-reversing valves with wash-water-iulet openings in each of saidfour-way valves, substantially as described.

22. In combination with a filter, a valve ap paratus placed below thefilter-chamber and composed of two four-way valves connected for jointoperation and arranged to constitute filter-draining, cut-oil, andcurrent-reversing valves with wash-water-inlet openings in each of saidfour-way valves, substantially as described.

23. In combination with a filter, a valve apparatus placed below thefilter-chain ber and composed of two four-way valves connected for jointoperation and arranged to constitute filter-draining, by-pass, cut-citand currentreversing valves with wash-water-inlet openings in each ofsaid four-way valves, substantially as described.

24. Avalve apparatus composed, in connection with another many-wayvalve, of a fourway valve having a key-port 10 to connect two adjacentways in the casing with each other, and provided with additional portsas 11 and 12 opening from the same space in the center of the key andlocated opposite said port 10, one of said four ways being arranged tobe stopped, in the proper position of the valve, by the shell of the keyoutside of and next to the said port 10, substantially as described.

25. A valve apparatus composed, in connection with another many-wayvalve, of a fourway valve having openings of different sizes at the endsof the casing-ways, substantially as described.

26. A valve apparatus composed, in connection with anothermany-wayvalve, of a fourway valve having the openings at the ends of theways in the casing unsymmetrically disposed, and the key-ports arrangedto put one of said casing-ways in separate communication with each ofthe other three, substantially as described.

27. A valve apparatus composed, in connecply, waste, and houserespectively, and whichhave said ways and the corresponding keyportsarranged to'establish a filtering to house, a filtering to waste, awashing, and a filterdraining position by a succession of movementswithin an arc of half a circle, substantially as described.

29. In combination with a filter, a valve apparatus placed below thefilter-chamber and composed of a four-way valve connected for jointoperation with another many-way valve, and having its key-ports and waysarranged to establish a filtering to house, a filtering to waste, awashing, a by-pass or a cut-oflf or both, and a filter-drainingconnection by a succession of movements within an arc of half a circle,substantially as described.

30. In combination with a filter, a currentreversing and filter-draining valve apparatus placed below the filter and connected with the top andbottom thereof, said apparatus having two sets of key-ports and two setsof casing-ways, the casing-ways of one set being connected respectivelywith both ends of said chamber and with supply and waste pipes, and thecorresponding key-ports being arranged in one position of the valveapparatus to connect both ends of the filter with the waste-pipe whilecutting off the flow of water to the filter, substantially as described.

31. In combination with a filter, a bypass, filter-draining andcurrent-reversing valve apparatus having two sets of key-ports andcasing-ways, arranged in one position of said valve apparatus toestablish a by-pass through ports and ways of one set and afilter-draining connection with the bottom of the filter through portsand ways of the second set, substantially as described. 2

In combination with a filter, a by-pass, filter-draining andcurrent-reversing valve apparatus having two sets of key-ports andcasing-ways, arranged in one position of said valve apparatus toestablish a by-pass through ports and ways of one set and a drainageconnection through ways and ports of the second set for both thefilter-chamber and the upright pipe leading to the top thereof,substantially as described.

33. A valve having in its key a central chamber open at one end andports, as 13 and 14, opening from said chamber at the periphery thereof,and also provided with a side passage, between other ports as 1.5 and16, and with an end pipe as K, and easing ways or passages as P D H,terminating in the circle of the peripherical ports, the side passageICC being adapted to connect two of the last-mentioned casing ways orpassages which are not directly opposite to the exclusion of the thirdway or passage, and the first-mentioned ports being located at oppositepoints as well as at an intermediate point, substantially as described.

34. A valve apparatus composed of two four-way valves connected forjoint operation, one of which valves hasa central cham-v ber open to apipe, as K, and provided with peripherical ports, as 13 and 14, atopposite points and also at an intermediate point for registering withthe casing ways or passages, as P D 11, while the other of said valveshas a central chamber provided with peripherical ports at oppositepoints and also at intermediate points for registering with the casingways or passages, as N D H F, substantially as described.

35. A valve apparatus composed of two four-way valves connected forjoint opera tion, one of which valves has a side passage between ports,as 15 and 16, in addition to a central chamber open to a pipe, as K, andis provided with peripherical ports, as 13 and 14, at opposite pointsand also at an intermediate point for registering with the easing waysor passages, as P D H, while the other of said valves has a centralchamber provided with peripherical ports at opposite points and also atintermediate points for registering with the casing ways or passages, asN D H F, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH T. MANNING.

Witnesses: Y

BERTHA S. DANA, WALTER W. H. ROBINSON, Jr.

